Touring with an older Kat

[fattymcackerman]

So I have a '95 Katana 600 with about 11,000 miles on it. I'm going to have the valve gaps checked soon, tires are decent, brakes have recent stainless lines and rebuilt calipers, and the fork was rebuilt recently. The chain seems decent except for some rust on the side plates (length ok, tension looks ok right now). Do the chains always have a slight whirring noise? I'm also thinking about replacing some fuel lines.

Should I work on fixing it up for long trips (perhaps IL to TX), or would I be wiser to wait and buy a newer bike for trips like that?

Are there other things I should look at? Anything I need to do to the rear suspension if it seems fine?

If it's worth it, I'd like to make some simple brackets and aluminum panniers, along with a few other minor enhancements now that I'm motivated again to fix it up after this.

[squiggy]

In your case it is the years and not the mileage. My 2001 now has a little over 70,000 miles and I would not hesitate to take it on a multi-state adventure. 11,000 miles is nothing for these Kats. Just do like what you are doing with regular maintenance, fix what needs to be fixed and replace what needs to be replaced then have fun out on the road.

[DClark]

I have an original fuel hose on my kat 1100 and the thing is 20 years old
Your bike sounds like all the fluids have been changed which is the most important thing about having an old bike. If everything looks good, have a good ride. I'd suggest that you bring a quart of good synthetic oil and check you oil level and the end of each day. I found that my bike, although it doesn't burn or need retopping of oil often, does need to be retopped on long (12 hour) trips.Your bike could be different, but if I am in middle of bum pluck Egypt and need to top off, I'd rather top off with a qt of M1 20-50 than a qt of whatever crap they sell at the 7/11.

[thetable]

I might replace any rubber, particularly if it has been stored outside. Other than that, RIDE IT! If I had a bike that I didn't think I could pull out of the driveway and ride to the other coast and back, then I would sell it or fix it.

[bob393]

This makes me feel better about the age of the bike too

[phil823]

DUDE i live close to YOU!...if you need any help hit me up